Background Check: Aerrow
by X-Chick303
Summary: A look into the past of Aerrow's family.


**Okay, I'm a huge fan of Storm Hawks. But one thing that always bugged me was that they never gave too much insight on Aerrow's parents. I mean, it's pretty obvious that Lightning Strike is his dad, but what about his mom? What happened to her? So I wrote this! (FWI, any other Storm Hawk mentioned, I made up.)**

_**(17 years ago)**_

It was a (naturally) hot day on Terra Sahar. But it was a perfect day for the big race.

"How's my ride coming?", Lightning Strike asked his mechanic, Crow.

Crow tightened a bolt. "Should be ready to go. The Third-Degree-Burners won't know what hit them. Or anyone else, for that matter."

Lightning Strike laughed at the joke. He then stepped out of the tent, nearly running into Ace, his co-pilot.

"Hey Ace. What are you up to?", he asked.

Ace held up some velocity crystals. "Traded a few spare parts for these. Thought they would help in the race."

Lightning Strike ruffled his hair. "Good thinking. Leave them with Crow."

Ace scowled from the hair-ruffle, then stepped inside the tent.

"Pretty impressive, but they aren't going to help you win."

Lightning turned to make a comeback, only to see a beautiful woman in a slightly revealing outfit. The woman had long auburn hair, and emerald green eyes.

"I'm Harper, Sky Knight of the Screaming Queens.", she said.

Lightning composed himself. "What makes you think the crystals won't help?"

Harper grinned. "Cause my girls and I put together a bike that'll knock your socks off. Might as well give up now."

He smiled. "How about we make a bet?"

"Deal. If I win, you have to clean the carriers of every squadron on the terra.", Harper said.

"But what if I win?", Lightning asked.

Harper thought for a moment. "I'll go on a date with you."

He nodded. "That'll work."

A few hours later, the race was about to begin. The horn was sounded, and the Sky Knights were off. It was pretty close. People got either knocked out, or their bikes fell apart from strain. Soon, it was between Lightning and Harper. At the final stretch, Harper's bike's front wheel slid out of control. Lightning Strike snatched the crystal amulet. His team cheered.

"Told you they wouldn't know what hit them!", Crow boasted.

Harper stomped up to Lightning Strike. She looked like she was going to punch him, but instead smiled. "So, I know this great diner. It's only a half-hour flight from here. Wanna go there?"

Ace looked at his leader. "What is she talking about?"

Harper grabbed Lightning's arm. "Pretty boy and I made a bet, and he won. Now, I have to go on a date with him And we're taking his bike, considering mine is scrap-metal."

As she pulled him away, Lightning Strike shrugged. "It's just one date."

_**(15 years ago)**_

The Condor was set in 'hover' near Terra Gale. Lightning was going through a routine check-up.

"Crow, make sure the engine room is fully operational. Ibis, check our crystal supply. Crank, I wan to updated on the repairs to the hull. Ace, you help Crank. And if that's all, I'll be going.", he said.

"Not going out with that _woman_ again, are you?", Ace asked, clearly complaining.

"That _woman_ happens to be my girlfriend, and a fellow Sky Knight, Ace.", Lightning said harshly. "Remember that."

He hopped on to his skimmer and flew off. He met Harper at the Sky-Side Diner. After having dinner and seeing Harper's hilarious impression of Harrier of the Rex Guardians, they went to relax on a mesa on Terra Sahar.

"This is where we first met, right?", Harper asked, gazing at the stars.

"Yes. And I always thought it was going to be one date.", Lightning said. He glanced at Harper's beautiful face. "Harper, I have something to ask you."

"Shoot.", she replied.

"We've been dating for two years, so..." He pulled out a ring. "Will you marry me?"

Harper stared at him, squealed, then tackled him in a full front kiss.

He smiled. "I'll take that as a yes."

_**(14 years ago)**_

"Come on, Harper!", Lightning complained.

"No way! We are not naming him 'Harold'! The day he's a 'Harold' is the day I move to Cyclonia!", Harper shouted back.

Ibis glanced at Ace. "How long have they been at this?"

Ace rubbed his temples. "Five. Grueling. Days."

He was referring to the couple's long-standing argument. The two had gotten married a year earlier. Harper gave up her role as Sky Knight, giving it to her second-in-command. She and Lightning Strike built a house on Terra Nimbus, where they would live when Lightning wasn't out being a Storm Hawk. His team mates were always offered to live on the terra during these breaks, provided they stayed on the Condor. Five days ago, they're first son was born. They were still arguing on what to name him.

"Like 'Sparrow' is any better!", Lightning shouted.

"What wrong with 'Sparrow'?", his wife asked.

"It sounds like a girl's name!", he argued.

Ibis broke in. "How about you drop the the first two letters, name him 'Aerrow', and stop arguing already!"

The two stopped arguing.

"Aerrow it is.", Lightning agreed.

His wife nodded, cradling the sleeping child in her arms. Harper handed him to Lightning who held him close. "

"He's amazing.", he whispered, kissing the top of the baby's head.

Ace scowled, and rushed outside.

_He has everything! The team, a wife, and now, a child!_, Dark Ace thought angrily. _I don't know how much more of this I can take!_

**_(10 years ago)_**

"What? Lightning, what do you mean you're not coming home tonight? You promised!", Harper shouted into the radio.

_"I'm sorry, honey. But we're planning one final strike against Cyclonia. If it succeeds, we can raise Aerrow in a free Atmos."_, he apologized. _"I'll see you in a few weeks."_

He hung up, and Harper slammed down the receiver. "Jerk!"

"Momma?"

She turned to see her four-year-old son, Aerrow.

"Daddy isn't coming, is he?", he asked.

Harper pulled him onto her lap. "Sorry, babe. But you're right, he isn't. He'll be back in a few weeks, though."

Two days later, late in the afternoon, was when the news had been spread. Harper's radio was squawking.

_"Attention all terras in the quadrant! Cyclonian forces are headed your way! The sky knights have failed in the attack!"_

Harper got worried. "They... failed?"

_"Repeat, the knights have failed, and the Storm Hawks have been destroyed! I repeat, all members of the Storm Hawks have been destroyed!"_

That did it. Harper slammed the radio against the wall, hot tears streaming down her face. She couldn't believe it. Her husband... Lightning Strike... was dead.

That was when she heard explosions outside. The Cyclonians were here. She rushed up to Aerrow's room.

"What going on, Momma?", he asked as she picked him up and rushed him to the basement.

"Nothing, babe. I need you to stay down here for awhile.", she said, putting him down.

"But-"

"I also need you to be quiet. Quiet, like a gleep. I'll be back." With that, she rushed back upstairs, taking time to grab her emergency crystal blade. She ran outside, only to come face to face with Ace.

"Ace, what happened?", she asked. He replied with an energy blast to her chest. It sent her flying into a tree.

"What happened was that I just pushed your husband into the Wastelands.", he grinned.

Harper scowled, blood running down her face. "Traitor!"

Ace prepared his weapon. "It's a shame, really. I also liked you, Harper. Too bad you left your precious Screaming Queens."

The final blow was what ended her life.

_**(7 years ago)**_

Seven-year-old Aerrow looked around at the terra the Atmosian Relief Officers had dropped him at. It was "Terra Neverlandis."

He had been found by officers three years earlier, on Terra Nimbus. He had been crying next to the corpse of a woman who they deducted to be his mother. After being shuffled from relief center to relief center, they had brought him here, where they sometimes dropped off orphans.

He sat down on a log. He wished that he could remember what happened. He wished that he remember who his family was.

"Stupid Cyclonians! Why did you kill my family!", he shout out loud. After a moment, he felt someone place a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay. Our families were killed, too."

He turned to see a dark-skinned girl and a blonde-haired boy, both about his age.

The girl smiled. "I'm Piper, and this is Finn."


End file.
